Beyond the Weekend: EPIC
Stories of Trust, Failure and Faith That Point to Jesus
What does it look like to believe God, not just believe in God? This fall, we're diving into the raw, unfiltered stories of biblical heroes who wrestled with doubt, took dangerous detours, and discovered that trusting God means following him even when you can't see the outcome. Their epic journeys of trust, failure and faith all point to the ultimate hero—Jesus.
Key Messaging Points:
- There's a difference between believing in God and believing God
- God speaks in life's detours and disruptions
- Wrestling with God transforms us
- Trusting God means obeying before you see the outcome
- Every story of human struggle points to Jesus
Judges
Read: Judges 4:1 Listen: Judges 4
Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, now that Ehud was dead. Judges 4:1
Joshua leads the promised people into the promised land. Yet, after Joshua dies, an unfortunate pattern emerges. Rather than faithfully submitting to God and his ways (as revealed in the law given through Moses), the Israelites turn from God and look to pagan idols. After realizing their folly and the consequences of their decisions, the people then turn to God, who delivers them through a judge. It’s a vicious cycle that continues for roughly three hundred years.
Like the Israelites, we can also get stuck in patterns of sin, rebellion and consequences. There are more flagrant or obvious forms of rebellion that lead to severe consequences, like substance abuse or adultery. But there are also less obvious patterns that can be just as destructive, such as gossiping, endless scrolling, overeating, discontentment, or outbursts of anger. Whatever our struggle might be, God wants us to turn to him for deliverance. Yet, rather than going back to our patterns of sin and rebellion as the Israelites did, we can resist temptation and walk faithfully with God. This week, as we consider the judges and Deborah’s story, we shall see that there is hope for freedom from patterns of sin and oppression.
TODAY: Consider how you might be stuck in a pattern of sin like the Israelites. Identify an area of your life that needs correction, and ask God for the grace to turn to him and walk in new ways. Maybe pray something like: “Father, help me resist _____________, and to trust you and live a new life by the power of your Spirit. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”
